As Nigeria battles to shed a reputation for corruption, the recent statement, "All Nigerians are Corrupt Regardless of Level” mischievously attributed to Ms. Oprah Winfrey, though sad, is a case in point for soul searching in Nigeria. The bad publicity about some ex-governors currently being convicted for graft has further exacerbated the looting and corruption problems. Nigeria is again brought in the world’s glaring spotlight, not for discoveries, not for attempting to solve Africa’s problems, not for development but for perfecting real or apparent corruption.


Can a nation be branded a haven for thieves without a reason? Will such a nation not have a legal recourse to fight and remove the appellation if she has no semblance of rogues within her citizens? It is my understanding that Ms Winfrey mentioned the Nigerian fraudsters as part of the global discussion on scams. The accusation by Ms. Winfrey, if false, is a slap in the face for all honest and law abiding Nigerians at home and in Diaspora but, if true, is an opportunity for Nigeria as a viable, law abiding nation to be contrite and embark on real soul searching. But when can a nation be referred to as a den of thieves and it sticks?

The issue is not that Ms. Winfrey made the statement but why on earth will she make a disparagingly blanket statement Nigeria and indirectly black people? There are over 140 million Nigerians, how many of these citizens duped Ms. Winfrey to justify her statement? I am going to go out of my way to saying there is no smoke without fire. What must have prompted Ms. Winfrey to make such an indefatigable statement? Did Oprah just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and decided to just pick any country to accuse of being den of thieves? Why did the name Nigeria pop up in her head? Was Ms. Winfrey temporarily insane when she made the statement? Could she have experienced negative activities of some Nigerian citizens? Was Ms. Winfrey speaking from a statistical point of view or does she have list of Nigerians that she can claim to have stolen from her? Or was Ms. Winfrey tired of the accusation of corruption being levied on African nations by white media that she thought it was better for a black person to accuse and hence stop the moral hemorrhage?

Those that see Nigeria’s potential as a great nation and have been willing to contribute their quotas to her development ought to weep for HER IN the way she has been carrying on for the past 47 years. How does one fight corruption and end up being benefactor of corruption after leaving office? How can a nation, the laws, and leaders have capacity to punish 419 when they too are basking in corruption? There would be no moral justification to go after anyone that is corrupt, or is engaged in 419. It is time for the nation and her citizens to shed the last tear in their glands, roll up their sleeves, fight real corruption because if not, our nation would unravel like a pack of yawn. Presently, Nigeria is a nation of zombies and the land of the hopeless. We protect corrupt leaders from our conclave and chastise those that are not from our tribes or those we are not helping to launder money. A thief is a thief is a thief no matter where they come from. It is my believe that when corruption is conquered, the best of Nigeria will ooze out, there will be a reverse brain drain, and peace and tranquility will be pervasive in the land of the living again.

Out of all the nominees for minister, only Bode Augusto failed to make it. He was too “arrogant”. That word sounds too familiar to any Lagosian. It is a word used to disguise a form of discrimination perpetrated on Lagosians for ages. In this case, there is even a better reason: people in his home State were against him. Even though it was clear that those who signed petition against Bode Augusto did not meet the minimal requirement for a petition to the House. In other words, their names and addresses were not known in Lagos. They were sent by career politicians who are natives of Lagos.
During the time of Abacha, some people were called cowards for not fielding a candidate for President. When they were reminded that Tunji Braithwaite a prominent man came out boldly as a candidate, the funny joke was: A Lagosian? Who will take you seriously?
Now, this is a respectable, educated and an activist by any universal standard. Yet, his candidacy was a joke to some who never achieved half of this man’s sweat. It was a joke to the rest of the Country, but not to Lagosians.
It used to be that they were not educated enough, they like fancy clothes, cars and girls. You can not even marry their girls. That is why some always send for their wives from home. Go to anywhere in Nigeria you will find the same people with those faults but in the case of Lagosians, they turn them into poster boys. It has been used to deny many Lagos natives who paid their dearly dues respectable status in life. But I do not really think other Nigerians realize it as a form of discrimination. One can still discriminate without realizing it; it is the impact and consequences on the victims that count.
Some of us who went to secondary schools outside Lagos faced so many stereotypes, as we were supposed to be able to fight with the worst instruments in those days, which was a broken bottle. They expected us to brag with everything but also empty headed. The only comfort was that their girls loved us. It could be the bad boy syndrome. As many of us defied some of these stereotypes, they would doubt if we were from Lagos.
There was a senior boy I still remember very well who would announce class by class that every junior boy from Lagos must come by his bed after 9.30 pm study period to kneel down and put our hands up for no reason. He did not care if your parents were from there but lived in Lagos or if you were Lagos native, as some students tried to dissociate from us to avoid punishments.
My first year outside Nigeria, I registered at the university where I met some Nigerians who came the same year. They were surprised to see me in school. I was supposed to be in my mustang chasing girls all over the town. I had the last laugh and I always remind them today that contrary to their predictions that I would be lost, it is some of them who never made it back home to live. One of them used to boast that his children were going to live in his village. If he could not live there, I had wondered how his children were going to find their ways there.
A few years ago, the Governor of the State was not from Lagos, leader of the Senate was not from Lagos, the Chief Justice was not from Lagos and the Head of Service in the Ministry was not from Lagos. There should be something somebody from Lagos could qualify for, didn’t you think so? Even when the Chief Judge was given a list of qualified lawyers, he said he was looking for merit irrespective of State of origin. Who would take that from him in his own State?
There is no State in the whole of Nigeria where Awolowo is more popular, alive or in death than Lagos. When Obasanjo was looking for someone to fill a slot for Lagos, he got the name of Awolowo’s son as an ambassador. Haba, nobody qualified from Lagos? We were cheated in spite of our love for Awo and his family. But they are not from Lagos.
Yet of all places in Nigeria, Lagos is the most accommodating place to live. As we used to say in Lagos, if a stranger enters Lagos today, he or she would be fed and clothed before the end of that day. So we expect most Nigerians to love us in return. Actually many do. If they do not know you, they know or might have gone to school with a member of our families.
Luckily, most of these stereotypes are nothing more. That is why it kills me when people in their matured age still use childish behavior to reflect their deep prejudice against us. Even some friends can not understand why I was so pissed by the arrogant aspersion cast on humble Bode Augusto. You see, they can not understand. It’s a Lagos thing.
Of course some Lagosians are guilty of some of these things but so are many others. It is a form of prejudice to typecast those from Lagos for something we all do. It is really frustrating to subject a man out of many to questioning for over two hours answering every question brilliantly and getting praised later for his knowledge only to deny him based on frivolous excuses. It is like going for a job interview, as some can relate, only to be told after all praises about your qualifications; that you are over qualified.
It does not make a difference to me personally whether Bode Augusto got to be a minister or not. None of my friends who were in position of power could come out and say I have ever asked them for anything but fair is fair. Nigerians even have this reluctance of asking those younger than them for anything. So if I never asked my friends of about the same age, I can not hope for asking Bode Augusto. I just think that he was cheated and short-changed for being OmoEko. Anyone else with such dazzling performance during the process could have been easily confirmed.
No hard feelings.

President Umaru Yar'Adua today (Thursday) in Abuja swore in 39 ministers, ending weeks of speculation by Nigerians. The ministers, who had been screened by the Senate, were also assigned portfolios.
The former Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, was assigned the defence portfolio while former CBN Deputy Governor, Shamsudeen Usman was named minister of finance.
The nominee from Lagos was not cleared by the Senate while nominees from Kaduna and Taraba are yet to be screened.
Below is a complete list of the ministers and their portfolios:
Ministry/Portfolio Name
1. Attorney-General/Minister of Justice: Mr Michael Aondoakaa (SAN)
2. Agriculture/Water Resources: Abba Sayyadi Ruma
3. Agriculture/Water Resources: Adamu Maina Waziri (State 1)
4. Commerce/Industry: Chief Charles Ugwu
5. Commerce/Industry (State): Ahmed Garba Bichi
6. Culture/Tourism: Adetokunbo Kayode
7. Culture/Tourism (State): Aliyu Idi Hong
8. Defence: Yayale Ahmed
9. Defence (State): Mrs Fidelia Njeze
10. Education: Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu
11. Education (State 1): Agada Anthony Jerry
12. Education (State 2): Mrs Aishatu Jibril Dukku
13. Energy (State): Power Mrs Fatima Ibrahim
14. Energy (State) Petroleum: Henry Odein Ajumogobia


15. Energy (State) Gas: Odusina Emmanuel
16. Environment/Housing: Mrs Halima Alao
17. FCT: Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar
18. FCT (State): Sen. John Akpanudoedehe
19. Finance: Dr Shamsuddeen Usman
20. Finance (State): Aderemi Babalola
21. Foreign Affairs: Ojo Maduekwe
22. Foreign Affairs (State 1): Tijjani yahaya Kaura
23. Foreign Affairs (State 2): Amb. Bagudu Hirse
24. Health: Prof. Adenike Grange
25. Health (State): Gabriel Aduku
26. Information/Communication: John Odey
27. Information/Communication (State): Ibrahim Nakande
28. Interior: Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe (Rtd)
29. Interior (State): Hassan Alhaji Haruna
30. Labour: Dr Hassan Lawal
31. Mines/Steel Development: Chief Sarafa Tunji Isola
32. Mines/Steel Development (State): Ahmed Moh'd Gusau
33. Transportation: Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke
34. Transportation (State): John Okechukwu Emeka
35. Science/Technology: Mrs Grace Ekpiwhre
36. Youth Development: Sen. Akinlabi Olasunkanm
i37. Women Affairs: Saudatu Usman Bungudu
38. Minister/Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission: Sen. Sanusi Daggash
39. Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission: Abdulrahman Gimba

The Police in Lagos have constituted themselves to be a nuisance.Because i don't know why police will always stop you and check you form your pockets to your wallets to find something they themselves do not know.The police are just using every means to extort money from people on the Lagos island.At CMS Bus stop yesterday, i saw For policement ranscaking a bag from a young man, they found International Passport and other travel documents.They eventually arrested the man , but hewas pleading that the documents are his.The wort scenario was the Handcuffing of this man, he was slapped severally for protesting.Another case happened last week in Obalende area of ikoyi near Dodan barracks, Police men from Lion building stormed into Daniel's Compund and molested and humiliated operators of business cerntres in the compound.A police warrant of arrest was shown but it showed the address of some where else.The men of the Nigerian Police arrested over ten customers and owners of the business centres.They were hndcuffed and thoroughly beaten.There offense could not be ascertained as that then.The disgrace and shame has had its first casualty , as one of the owners of a buiness centre has stopped operations.The police i gathered took a bribe of 40,000 thousand Naira.Efforts shopuld be made to make the Poice force a career ,The police in Lagos are dangerous, they are capable of inrlicting harm in the face of of protests.I love the police but there are many illiterates and criminals in their fold. please purge the police so they can defend and protect us.